Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama is currently meeting with Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry at an undisclosed location in Suva.
Chaudhry left his home this morning in his private vehicle and went straight to the Home Affairs Ministry office at Government Buildings.
He then went to the Finance Ministry office before heading off to another meeting.
In an interview with Fijivillage this morning, Commodore Bainimarama said he had to step in and he told Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and members of the military council to meet with the water bottling companies last night after they ceased their operations until further notice.
"When I heard that the water bottling plants were shutting down, I arranged for a meeting with the Attorney General who I had used earlier in bringing about an end to the bus strike. I had wanted someone outside who had an independent view of the problems that we had with the bottlers. So they had a meeting last night. They have arrived at an amicable solution with the bottling companies and I understand that the bottling companies will stop strike and they will start work immediately."
When Fijivillage questioned Bainimarama when he spoke to Chaudhry before repealing the duty on bottled water proposed by the Interim Finance Minister, Bainimarama confirmed that he did not speak to Chaudhry.
"I have not been able to get in touch with him. He had his phone off. But I tried to relay a message across to him that the Attorney General and members of the Military Council were going to sit in and talk to the bottling companies."
Bainimarama confirmed that he needs to speak to Chaudhry today.
"Yes, we need to talk. I have decided last night with the Attorney General and the members of the Military Council to repeal the 20 cent per litre excise and 20 cent per litre export taxes which were approved by cabinet so we need to talk about that."
When Fijivillage asked Bainimarama what he would do if Chaudhry disagrees with the decision taken last night as he has maintained that the water bottlers should pay the duty, the Interim PM said we would just have to wait and see.
"I don’t want to pre-empt something that I don’t know about."
Stay with us for developments.
